Morrow Audio Cable Theory & Design: Why we are different...

Morrow Audio SSI Design

Problems With Popular Cable Designs...

The Morrow Audio cables differ in 3 major areas from most other popular and often expensive cable designs. As you read about this, you may realize that your cables have problems in these areas. Do not despair, you now qualify for a dramatic improvement in all areas of sound with the Morrow Audio line of cables. After hearing our properly designed cables, many of our customers replaced the ones they had with our complete cable product line.

The 3 major design flaws in popular cables...

1. Cables That Use Stranded Wire:
In stranded wire designs, the strands touch each other hundreds of times at various points along the length of the wire, causing the signal to jump from strand to strand instead of flowing through a continuum. The result is a diode effect (like little mV Diodes) at each point where the strands come into contact, causing distortion of the signal; blurring imaging, soundstage cues, etc.

Another explanation of the diode effect is oxide forming between the strands which encourage a non-linear conduction. At the points where this occurs, actual RF detection can occur, turning your cable into a radio; receiving, detecting and injection RF signal and distortions into your music signal.

In my experience with stranded cable, where each single conductor is made from several strands, not insulated from each other, there imparts an unpleasant harshness or brightness to the sound as well as a bloated and non-defined bass.

Unfortunately, all common box store cables that one can buy use stranded wire in their design. Likewise, the cables you found in the box with your equipment are stranded. If you have such cables in your system, you will hear a profound and dramatic improvement with properly designed cables.

The Morrow Audio Design:
Morrow Audio signal cables use ONLY solid core wire, NEVER stranded. We eliminate all diode effects by using only solid core wire. You will hear much more information in your music that was lost from the smearing effect that stranded wire produces.

Some of our models contain multiple runs of wire. They are mono strands, individually insulated from each other. In the case of our MA2 Reference interconnect, these multiple runs yield a more detailed sound. The speaker cables, out of power handling necessity, also contain these multiple runs of wire.

2. Cables That Use Large Gauge Wire:Different frequencies tend to ride at various depths in the wire structure; the highs, mids and lows tend to separate which cause time and phase errors in the signal. This is commonly known as the "skin effect". When a large gauge wire is used, this problem is even greater, resulting in phase and timing errors. The soundstage is reduced, instrument timbre is distorted. See photo below...

The Morrow Audio Design:Morrow Audio signal cables ONLY use a small gauge wire. The different frequencies ride at the same plane in the wire, resulting in less phase and timing errors. A more accurate sound is the result. The soundstage is huge, instrument timber is accurate, it seems like the performers are in your room.

"I retired as an electrical engineer 15 years ago and this cable was a breakthrough for me. I was hearing a wide, deep soundstage, with really good but not over-etched detail, with instruments and voices sounding so much more real than ever. Bass was very clear, mids were delightful, and highs were clean."

3. Cables That Use Heavy Insulators:Some cable designs use large cable jackets or even heavy insulators to insulate their cable.

Inside common cable designs are internal conductors with an extruded insulation of some sort. The insulation material is in close and immediate contact with the conductor along its entire length. One of these conductors might be in the form of a wire mesh that surrounds the center conductor, acting as a shield from RFI.

Wrapped around all this is the outer casing of the cable, made out of rubber, PVC, Teflon or some other material.

These insulation elements all form the dielectric of the wire, which has a tendency to absorb and release energy to and from the conductors. This occurrence produces a negative sonic affect; smearing of the signal and other distortions. The greater the number of insulating layers there are, the greater this distortion will be. The thickness of these layers is also a factor of concern, with thicker layers being the worst.

Have you ever heard of speaker cable lifts? They are little stands that lift the cables off the floor, improving the sound. The improvement comes by keeping the electrical field from reflecting back into the cable off the floor. Why then do cable manufacturers apply decorative mesh, thick insulations and other signal distorting elements in their design?

The Morrow Audio Design: Morrow Audio cables DO NOT use heavy insulators. Each strand of wire incorporates a very thin insulation and are held together within a thin nylon mesh. This allows the least amount of reflection back into the cable, retaining the quality of the music you love.

With the Morrow Audio cables, your music will flow unhindered, resulting in greater realism as well as a longer and more enjoyable listening session. Those who have have heard our cables describe it as a "Listening Experience".

"I was particularly impressed with how a piano sounded like the real instrument with the lid open in my room (I also play a little piano and djembe). Hand drums had a visceral, dynamic punch with a natural sounding decay. I wish I could quantify it better, but musical and natural was my main response, and my rational brain can't quite explain it."